


I'm Staying

by ty_madison



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Blood, Death, Everyone lives, First Kiss, M/M, Not Beta Read, Wendigos, talk of cannabalism, well bar hannah and beth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-19
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-09-09 16:37:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8899798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ty_madison/pseuds/ty_madison
Summary: Watching as the house burned and the whir of helicopter blades cut through the air, Chris knew he couldn't leave this place without Josh. He was going to find him or die trying and he knew the dying was much more likely, but he was okay with that.





	

“I’m not going!” He screamed over the whir of the helicopter blades, the look in Sams eyes made him feel like he was doing something stupid. But the thought of leaving without knowing what had happened to Josh, would slowly crush him and he couldn’t think about loosing him. 

Frantically looking around he knew he only had a short amount of time, the smoke coming from the house would soon thin out enough that they would see he was there and he wouldn’t have the chance to run. “It didn’t kill him! Right?! Just dragged him away!” He coughs the smoke filling his lungs and making it much harder to breathe. 

Mike looked up at him, his bloody hand clutched to his chest, he could see it in his eyes he knew. He knew exactly what Chris was about to do, so he looked down and nodded. The smile that flashed across Chris’ face, was brighter than his smile had been in ages. He looked at them all around him and they all looked so scared, tired and done. But Ashley was looking at him, her eyes fixed on him and they were full of betrayal. Like she expected him to stay with her and keep her safe, and yes he could understand because he really did think he loved her. 

He had been so sure that he did, but at the thought of loosing Josh. It made it seem so small, so irrelevant and he just knew that Josh was it for him. 

Saluting his friends as they all sat huddled in the snow, his lips shaking as he looked at Jess, he turned and ran for the woods. He knew exactly where he had to go and how long he had to do it. They only slept during daylight hours, but it was late winter and the daylight hours were much shorter than he could hope for. 

He tripped over an exposed branch, slamming his hands down on the snow covered path. Rocking back so he was sat, cold snow melting through his trousers and making him shiver slightly. Chris knew he was going to have to come up with a plan. Putting his elbows on top of his knees and biting down on the barely there nail on his thumb. His clothes will get him through the day, but at night outside there is a high chance of him freezing if he doesn’t find somewhere safe. 

There is the visitors cabin where he could spend the night, it would be safer than being outside. But after what Mike said not safe enough that he could not fear for being taken. There was even less to hand for protection and food. Maybe a few tins of soup in the visitors cabin and a shot gun. Nothing that would really save him, but the food would last him a few days; if he even lasted that long and the gun would slow down a wendigo. 

Chris made his mind up and started the trek to the cabin, there was new snow fall. Covering the footsteps that would have been made by them all scrabbling round the night before. He just focused on the crunch of the snow, knowing that once he was safer he might be able to come up with a better plan then just finding Josh. 

Any noise that rattled through the forest, made his breath catch and his body tense. But he never turned, stopped or even made an attempt to change his mind with what he was doing. NO matter how his mind was starting to scream at him to turn back, go with the others to safety. Go back and pretend that he hadn’t left the most important thing in his life there. Go and get therapy, get better, try and fall for someone else and try to have a life that didn’t completely revolve around Josh. Force him down and try to forget him. 

His body was shivering and he stood, staring up at the door. Claw marks covered the porch and the door, blood clinging to the glass that still remained in the door. Looking at what he was seeing he really couldn’t believe how Jess managed to survive, being dragged as far she had in as little as she was wearing. If he saw her again he was telling her how brave and amazing she was. 

He opened the door, and saw clothes scattered across the floor. Mikes flannel jacket and vest, all of Jess’ clothes. Taking a deep breath he started gathering them up, he didn’t know what Josh would have and he didn’t think he would care if he had to wear girls jeans. Raising his thumb to bite, while he searched around. There was almost nothing left, matches and a backpack were about the only other things he found. Dragging his hand down his lower face he slowly put what he could in the bag, making sure if he needed to make a speedy exit he had enough stuff to atlas make it. 

Sighing and pulling the bag on, gripping the shot gun in his hand. He made the decision that the first place he should check should be the mines. 

A shaky breath left him as he thought of going back there, even if it was daylight and they would be sleeping. There was still the chance he would wake them and be wendigo dinner, forcing the small smile from creeping onto his face at the thought, he made his way back out into the snow. The sun was bright, but it barely cut through the freezing air. 

Chris couldn’t help but think how beautiful it was out here after the night he had had. 

He started the walk, the crunch of snow and the chirping of birds in the trees making it seem like nothing bad could possibly happen. It was like he was walking through a movie, perfect and soft. The shine of the sun off the snow and smell of fresh mountain air. 

He was walking and he could finally feel his body start to react the layers of clothes he was wearing, sweat trickling down the back of his neck and building up under his arms. Stopping, he pushed his glasses up his nose and swung his bag down onto the ground. Stuffing his jacket down into the bag, not caring about creasing it. 

It was while doing this, he spotted blood on the material and even dried onto his skin. He knew that the wendigos hunted by sound, but he could imagine that their sense of smell was much better than his own. Blood probably helped them find prey that escaped or even track them. He couldn’t help but think getting clean might be an idea. 

But there would be no water in the lodge, which meant he would also have to find a source of water. Chris had worked out he had about three days worth of food, which consisted of a tin of soup each day. Looking over to his left, where he was still crouched on the ground he could hear the sound of running water. He knew he would be able to drink the water up here and maybe he should force himself to wash down. 

Standing and slinging the back over his shoulders, he moved towards the water. The slope was much steeper than he had expected it to be and at times he had to lean forward and use his arms to pull himself up. He really wished he had gone to the gym with Mike when he had offered, the way it was going so far he wasn’t going to make it through the whole day. Even now with only a t-shirt and a thick flannel on, he was still sweating. 

Looking over the top of the slope, being cautious even though he knew the most dangerous thing out here were the mostly tame wolves at this time of the day. He couldn’t help but feel his heart skip a beat when he would see bushes move, for a squirrel to pop out of it. 

Pushing up and looking round to see where the water was coming from, he saw a stream coming down the middle of a trail and pooling at the bottom. He would have to walk a little down the trail to get to the pool, but right now he needed a drink and was convinced that he was definitely going to have to wash his body. 

Sticking his thumbs into the straps of his bag, he took his time walking down to pool. Breathing slowly and trying to listen for everything he could. 

Falling down on his knees next to the pool, he cupped his hands and lifted it to his lips. But looking down at the handfuls of water in his hand he just couldn’t drink it, it wasn’t like he didn’t want to. But the dirt and blood mixing with the water made him gad slightly. Closing his eyes and realising he was going to have to wash. Licking his cracked lips and looking around, he knew there wasn’t anyone out here but it didn’t stop him from feeling self conscious as he always had taking anything off in front of people. 

He slowly stripped of his clothes, looking at the blood that caked really only his jacket and bare skin. Moving into the water, his whole body seemed to freeze and try and pull out of the ice cold water. But he forced himself to scrub the grime off with his bare hands and icy water. Finally he dunked his head under the water, watching as the ash melted into a grey scum on the top of the water. 

He knew a few of his cuts had reopened with his desperate scrubbing at his skin. 

Sliding out of the water and digging in his bag to drag Jess’ t-shirt out and using it to dry his skin as quickly as possible. The shivering and prickling of his skin had him sliding his clothes back on, rolling up the sleeves of his flannel up his arms. 

Chris looked at the slope he knew had to climb, biting on his thumb nail he started the walk. The tins of soup he had in his bad were digging into his spine and sweat was forming a wet patch against the material of it. All he knew from the quick conversations with the others was that if he found Josh, that he had the key for the cable car and that would be his only way down. 

There was also the fact that Sam had told him the place closest to where they had last seen Josh was down a pretty dangerous wall face, she had smiled while talking about. Obviously thinking of the few times she had dragged him along with her, oddly he had found the whole climbing up pretty easy, but the minute he knew he was at the top he had frozen up. Once even falling straight off the wall and having Sam and her small stature having to support his body weight. 

It had been seeing her struggling on tip toe that had got him to loose weight, not a lot just enough that he still had a soft stomach but he wasn’t completely soft all over. He was fit, not like Mike or Matt, but he could do more than he could in high school. 

Finally reaching the top, he looked over at the opening. All he could think was it looked like the wide open mouth of the wendigos, like he was going to climb down into his death. But he didn’t feel fear for himself, more so for Josh. He would be completely lost down there. Scared of what he would be seeing and hearing. 

He sat down, his feet dangling over the edge and he breathed slowly. He had only been wondering for maybe two hours at most. Knowing that the sun would set earlier than he would like, it was then he realised that once he was down there he was down there till he found Josh, starved to death, got turned into a wendigo or he got eaten. He really hoped for the first two. 

Thumb in his mouth, he looked down the drop. Knowing that one wrong move could have him falling to his death, even if Josh had somehow survived this fall it was no guarantee he would. He wasn’t even sure how Josh did. Chris could see a few ways down, many of the safer routes would take sometime to make his way down and one would have him down there ten minutes tops. Being down a bit roughly on his thumb, he felt his teeth go through the small amount of nail that was there. 

Groaning, he used his teeth to bite it off and spit it down the opening. 

The darkness was never-ending down there and he had no way of seeing. Sure he had his phone and he could use the camera on it, but it was turned off and staying off. He needed battery on it for when he and Josh got to the bottom and could call someone to get them. Probably Sam. 

Taking a deep breath, pushing his glasses up his nose and rubbing his hand down the lower part of his face; he turned. Lowering his body slowly, feeling his arms strain at holding up most of his body weight. His toes bumped the ledge he had been aiming for, putting more of his weight into his toes; just like Sam had told him too. He started the slow climb down, pushing his glasses up when he had to with his shoulder. 

“Help?” Josh’s voice rang out, “Please help me?” 

Chris had to clenched his jaw, he couldn’t hurry, he couldn’t even be sure that it was actually Josh calling out. It could be a wendigo trying to lure him to them for an easy meal. Biting his lip he did look down, over his shoulder just to see if maybe Josh was standing right there, waiting for someone to come save him. 

But he saw nothing and facing the wall, he tipped his head forward. Letting out a shaky breath and biting at his inner lip. He had worked out he was half way down. Shaking his head slightly to clear himself of the thoughts smashing around in his head, it was when his glasses slipped loose of his ears. 

Clattering down the wall and landing with a soft thump on the dirt floor beneath him. “Shit…” Chris muttered under his breath, looking forward he could see what was right in front of his eyes but it was going to make the already dangerous climb much worse. He was truly climbing blind. 

He movements slowed, much more careful and less sure. 

Looking over his shoulder again to try and work out how far he had left. 

It was when something darted or moved enough for him to spot a blur. Causing him to tense up in fear and fall from the wall. It wasn’t till his back hit the floor, air being knocked out of his lungs and his head bouncing off the ground that he realised he had fallen. But it was the blackness rushing from his peripheral vision that had him worried. 

——————

When his eyes opened again, he could see the sun had hardly moved. So he hadn’t been out for long, maybe a minute or two and well he was still hear. So obviously they really avoided hunting during the day, maybe assumed that whatever fell would be there later. 

Forcing himself to sit up, his hand landed on top of his glasses. The already fractured lens was completely useless, smashed apart but still in the frame. Groaning and running his hand over his head, he feels the lump forming where he hit it. Leaning forward so his hand was under the light shining down around him, he saw no blood and he was happy he at least wasn’t going to have to deal with that. 

Standing up on his feet, he looked round and didn’t see Josh. So the voice he heard was definitely not him, well he hoped that Josh wouldn’t just leave him after he fell that far. 

Form now on he was going to have to be quiet and careful. 

——————

Chris moved, looking round and listening. But he heard nothing. No footsteps, no screams, no breathing bar his own and nothing could make his whole body shake. Pushing his broken glasses up his nose and moving through the tunnels, he had barely been down here unlike all the others. All he had was a guess of where he was going, hoping not to get completely lost in the mine. 

All he could think was not to go down tunnels that lead further down into the mines, he knew if he did that not only would he probably never find Josh but he would most likely become one of the four people this mountain had taken. 

The sound of rocks rolling across the ground had him slamming his body against the closest wall. His breath was caught in his throat, the guy who lived here before had wrote in his journal that they were completely inactive during daylight hours. But the more that he thought about it it probably meant that they didn’t leave the mines durning the day. Forcing himself to breath slowly and calmly he looked out of the one good lens he had, he was sure he saw one of them lurking i the shadows. 

And even though he knew it couldn’t see him, he could feel it’s grey unseeing eyes on him. Like it could almost hear him but not enough that it made it interested in finding out what he was. 

He kept his back pressed tight against the wall as it crawled forward, it’s long limbs and fingers digging into the wall as it clambered down. It seemed so much bigger to him and unlike all the others it had clothes clinging to it’s skin, its movements were also less jerky and so similar to humans. Clenching his jaw and moving so slow so that it wouldn’t take notice of him. 

Just as it passed him, Chris let out a breath much louder than he had expected. He felt his eyes bug out of his face when it flung it’s body round. Looking round. It’s head twitching and turning it’s head like a dog trying to work out where a sound was coming from. It wasn’t till the face focused right on his, tipping to the side and then it was right there. It’s mouth open and tasting the air. Holding his breath and feeling his lungs burn with the need to breath again. it opened and closed it’s mouth a few times, like it was swallowing saliva building up from the taste in the air. Like it was waiting for him to breath so it could attack. 

Chris felt his lips part about to suck in a breath of air when he heard “Hannah!” The wendigo turned towards the noise, the hunt lost from it’s face. “Hannah! Where?! It’s dark Hannah! Help me Hannah!” It then bolted down the tunnel. Running like a mother bear when it hears it’s young screaming for them. 

Sliding down the wall, his head resting on his knees as he sucked in each breath of stale freezing air.

Seconds later he flung his head up and towards where the voice was coming from, Josh was screaming for Hannah down here. And the wendigo had run towards him, not like it was going to kill him but simply keep him safe from everything else in this place. Resting his forged in his hands he started thinking about everything he had just seen. 

The wendigo and it’s very almost human characteristics, the scraps of clothing that didn't look like it was one of the miners. How it’s eyes weren't the pure white of the ones he had seen on the others. Like there was still small amount of brown lingering there, eyes he knew but couldn’t place. There was also the smudge of black on it’s arm. 

His head smacked the wall, hitting the sore spot on his head. But really all he could think was that Josh had been screaming for Hannah, it had brown rings to it’s eyes like hers and where that black mark had been would have been about where her tattoo would have been. 

Hannah was a wendigo and she was looking after Josh. Which meant there was a much higher chance of Josh becoming one of them and Chris couldn't let that happen. Pushing himself off the wall he started trudging the way the wendigo, Hannah had gone. he was going to doe before he saw Josh become one of those things that would haunt him for his entire life in his dreams. 

——————

He had walked for what had felt like hours and finally he had entered a huge cavern, which had very much gone against his not walking further down into the mines. But every time he had thought he had gone the wrong way he had heard Josh or the growl of Hannah. As if she was getting frustrated with Josh like she had before. 

Covering his mouth at the thought of the wendigo standing and staring with a hand on it’s hip, much like Hannah did overtime she told Josh off for doing something stupid. 

Looking round for something that could possibly tell him where they had gone, but the loose grit around him seemed to move with the slightest breeze and the pool of water didn’t help much either. Looking at it he soon realised there was no way for him to walk round to the other side, he would have to wade his way over and this must have been where Sam and Mike saw him for the last time. Getting dragged off by the wendigo. 

Panting slightly from where he was sat on the edge, looking down at the black water. He was fully clothed and dry and he could still feel the sharp fingers of the cold water licking at his bones, wanting to freeze him down to the bone and keep him to herself. Closing his eyes and slowing his breathing, he needed to be as quiet as possible just to hear one little clue to which way they had gone. 

Sat there he heard nothing, his body was relaxing and he was loosing himself in just hearing out for what could be out there; he shut down every thing that would have kept him aware. 

The water splashed his boot and sloshed up inside, making him jerk back. Scrambling, his hands digging into the rough stones below his hands. He tried looking around to see what could have done that, but nothing sprung from the water. Looking up and only really being able to see a small amount, he tried to see if any of them were around. 

But there really was nothing there. 

Calming his breathing, his heart racing so fast he was sure that the wendigos would be able to hear it and hundreds of them would emerge from the walls and rip him apart so quick he wouldn't feel it or even be able to let out much more than a surprised breath. 

“Cochise?” 

Looking around at the sound of his nickname, he saw Josh standing. Right at the mouth of a tunnel, blood running down the side of his face and a look on his face that made Chris think that he wasn’t really sure if he was actually seeing him. 

Pulling himself to his feet and jumping into the water, he felt his muscles pull tight as cold water covered him and his feet hit the bottom. He could wade his way over to Josh. He watched as Josh took one step forward, the blood on his head wasn’t the only source it was coming from his shoulder too. Swallowing and forcing his body to keep moving through the ice cold water. 

“Just stay there Josh!” He shouted to make sure he didn’t run off thinking he wasn't there. “Please! I am here for you! Don’t run off with Hannah, Okay?!” Josh seemed to freeze the minute Chris said that, as if it cemented in him that he was real and he really was there for him. 

Chris finally reached the closest side to Josh, he started trying to pull himself up. But everything that had happened to him finally seemed to catch up to him and he looked at Josh, when a long thin grey toned arm flung it’s way round Josh and pulled him back. Chris watched as his eyes filled with shock and fear, his arms reaching out in front of him as if all he wanted was to grab onto Chris and not be pulled back into the darkness. 

The adrenaline filled his system again and he pulled his soaked body out of the water and started to run after them. He knew logically he wouldn't catch them but he knew there was a chance he would be able to follow them long enough for Hannah to leave him behind again. Maybe long enough for them to wait it out, hopefully a party would be sent out or Josh still had the key for the cable car. 

He was running up, the path straight and occasionally he would hear his name being shouted but with the echo he wasn’t sure how close Josh was to him. He kept moving even through the air was cold and his clothes heavy. 

He knew that if there were anymore wendigos in this place they would soon be coming fro him because he wasn’t trying to hide where he was. He stopped only for a second just to get his breath back, when he heard the sound of a body hitting the ground. He crept forward, looking for a sign of Josh. What he saw has his jaw dropping. 

Josh was there, his hand out on Hannahs grey skinned face and he was talking. Their eyes locked and no fear was coming from Josh at all, then he must have said something which had Hannah bolting away toward the top of the tunnel and screaming. He still didn’t move watching Josh and he seemed to just drop to the floor, sitting sprawled out like a doll. A hand gripped in his hair and his lips moving like he was talking to himself. 

Nodding slowly he kept out from his place in the dark, but he didn’t talk yet. He had seen Josh like this once and had worked out pretty quickly that talking would scare him more than letting him slowly work out that someone was there. Hannah and Beth and both told him about it after he had trued to talk to Josh when he had been like this before. 

Walking round so he was in front of Josh, loud enough that it would get through to him but not so much that it would attract the wendigos to them. He crouched down, wiping his head to the side so he could get a look at Josh through his one good lens and closing the other eye. The sheen of sweat on his face, the dried blood mingling with it and the ice crystals forming on the clothes he was wearing proving that they had been wet a while before. 

When they made it out of here, Chris was sure that neither of them was getting out of it without being stuck in bed for days with a flu. 

A chuckle left his lips, just imagining Josh being back at home and shouting at him for letting himself get this ill just to save him. 

Eyes focused on him, hands flung out and gripped him round the sides of his head. Pulling him close and feeling the hot breath hit him. A freezing thumb brushing the bruise on his forehead, making him wince slightly and thats when he saw a smile. His own lips pulled up, his hand reaching out to run through Joshs hair. His teeth showing in the smile when Josh seemed to calm down only a little. 

“You are here.” Josh whispered, as if he had never been so glad to see something in his life, “You did come back for me. Didn’t think you would.” his fingers tightened their grip, “It’s dark and cold. Hannah was here and Beth isn’t.” Eyes fixed with his and he spoke so soft, “Hannah ate her. She had too, I don’t want too.” Swallowing away the fear, “Can we go home? It’s too dark here I want to go home.” 

Chris couldn’t help but nod, pulling Josh into his chest. 

He could feel warm breath on his chest through the frozen layers of his clothes, hands that had been round his head wrapped round his waist. And all he could think about was how awful he had been to Josh. How when Josh had pulled away he had let him, how he had just let Josh go. he had done it when he should have been there, sitting in silence with him, holding him as he cried, taking it when he screamed at him, and he should have seen how much he was hurting. But all Chris had done was let Josh rot in his pain and gone after a girl he didn’t really care all that much for in the end. 

Talking directly into his ear, “Yeah we will get out. Go home. And get cheese fries.” A huff of laughter came from Josh and he knew that this was only the start of him making it up to him. “The others are all safe too.” and Josh fully sagged against him as if it was the last thing keeping him tense. 

——————

They sat like that for a while, Chris let Josh put all his weight on him. He just loved the feeling of feeling Josh breathe against him, just knowing that Josh was alive and maybe not well; but not hurt so badly that he wouldn’t live if they got out. 

“Did you ever kiss her?” Josh mumbled into to his neck. Chris couldn’t help but splutter and fling his arms out. Josh started laughing and he knew there was no way he would need to answer. Josh could read him like a book. His laughter was getting louder and Chris knew he should tell him to quiet down. 

He really wished he had when the Hannah wendigo came flying into view, he shoved Josh out of the way and turned to face it. It’s huge mouth open in a screech. It flung itself at him, its clawed hand coming down the side of his face. Catching on his glasses and pulling them off his face but he could already feel the pain and blood. He opened his eyes and realised that even though he could only see blurry shapes, it was only through the one eye. He slapped his hand up to his face, covering his now unseeing eye. Looking round frantically he saw Josh standing just to the left of him. 

His own hand was up, clutching the lower half of his face. Blood dripping from between his fingers, and soaking into the fabric of the costume he was still wearing. But the wendigo was standing not moving it just looked at Josh before running away. Looking at each other the ran. 

——————

They were running both clutching each others hands, the ones not holding onto their faces. They could feel a fresh cold breeze hitting them and they hoped they were nearing a entrance to mine. All Chris hoped for was that the sun was still up or only starting to set. 

His hopes seemed to come true as they burst through the entrance, fresh cold snow crunching under foot. Chris could see the burnt down ashes of the house and he could almost work out where they were. Turning to look at Josh, he could see he was holding his cheek together and his jaw was dropped while Josh looked at him.

Searching through all the pockets in the costume Josh was wearing, just hoping to find the key. His fingers were cold and numb but he felt the jagged edge of the key, Pulling it out and smiling like he had found the meaning to life. He grabbed Joshs hand and ran towards where he thought the cable car station would be. 

The snow was deep and they both kept stumbling, tired and the cold. 

Branches seemed to pop out of no where making them pull each other down multiple times. Chris was sure he could see the blurry outline of the building growing closer with every step, the car suspended just out of reach. All they had to do was get in there and start it up. They would get down not long after the sunset, hopefully be able to get out of there and to a hospital. See the others and beg for them to forgive Josh and then heal together. 

The minute they got to the station the sun was just beginning to dip below the mountains. Stumbling through the door, Chris turned to Josh and smiled. “So gonna need some help here.” even with blood all over themselves he was happy. 

Josh kept the hold on his hand and pulled him to the booth, getting everything ready. He heard the car start moving. But he turned to Josh and started pulling the stupid costume off of him, leaving him in a plain white tee and joggers. Just because he couldn’t stand them taking pictures off him coming off the mountain dressed like he was at that moment. 

Dropping the costume over the edge as they got into the car. He watched it float away out of view and wished everything from the past twenty four hours would disappear like it. 

Sitting down waiting for it to reach the bottom, they slumped in the seat against each other. Both of them finally worn out, just needing to sleep and heal. And at that moment Chris with Joshs head on his shoulder, holding the ripped open cheek in his hand. He whispered into his hair, “I’m in love with you.” He felt Josh go ridged against him and he expected something cruel to come from his lips. 

“I know…” his voice soft and slurred, “…I love you too.” 

They gripped their free hands together, Chris rubbing his finger across the back of his. He felt that he was going to tell Josh everything. “I was ready to hunt till I was lost for you. I was ready to die trying to find you Josh.” Closing his eyes, “I should have been here for you, you needed me and I went after a girl that I liked the concept of being with because thats what I thought I was meant to want. I left you when I should have been there. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened. Maybe we could have been together before. But then maybe it could have been worse.” 

He clenched his jaw feeling their hands tighten around each others. “I am sorry I wasn’t there for you. I’m not using for forgiveness, I can’t. I don't deserve it.” He opened his only working eye, flicking to look at Josh, “And I don’t understand why you did what you did, but I can forgive you. You were lost.” 

He felt Josh shaking his head, “No…Chris…I…” 

“Don’t!” He shouted without thinking, “Don’t talk. Your face. Tell me when we are better okay?” Josh was silent and Chris laughed, “This is when you nod yes Josh.” 

Josh nodded and they relaxed only in the fact that they were effectively out of immediate danger. 

——————

When they came into the station at the bottom, Chris slowly lead them out of the station. They started a very slow walk down the path, clambering over the broken gate and staggering towards the only bus stop. 

Chris knew that his phone wouldn’t work even if it still had battery. 

But what shocked him was when they got to the gate leading to the main road, there was flashing lights, the sounds of people and a scream. 

He felt his legs finally give out under him, Josh coming down with him. Arms wrapping round him and pulling him and Josh apart. He tried to keep a hold of his hand and could hear both of them shouting in panic as they were pulled apart. The world was slowly closing in around him, and the last thing he really heard was Josh scream out his name. 

——————

Three weeks later he was sat in Joshs room, smiling and feeling the pull of the stitches around his eye. He had looked at himself, he had three large gouges across his face and his eye had turned milky white. 

But really none of them had come out to well. The others had visited too, Jessica had scars all over as well and they bonded over whose were more badass, and even though Jessica had won by a long shot they both agreed they were both pretty badass. 

Mike was still getting used to not having all of his fingers. Em was still super self conscious about the bite mark in her neck and Matt had said she would wake up screaming every night thinking she had turned and killed Matt. Sam and Ashley were the ones that got away with the fewest injuries, but they were both the ones who struggled to leave their houses. Both having moved back to their parents, thinking that the wendigos were going to come for them. 

But Josh was the one who had been in hospital since, he was getting help. He had a whole squad of new doctors, ones that worked out what was wrong with him and finally getting him the correct treatment. And he was slowly becoming the old Josh, even if he often would get frustrated with the way he looked. Like he couldn’t believe that Hannah had done this to him. 

Chris looked up at Josh stood over him, a smile on his face pulled squint by the stitches filling his cheek. Josh leaned down pressing their foreheads together, Chris closed his eyes and laughed. He had told Josh he loved him and they kept just holding each other, pressing their foreheads together. And he really couldn’t be any happier. 

Being here doing that with Josh was enough for him to forget everything that had happened, he didn’t need or want any more than Josh was willing to offer. They were both getting better and not ready to date, but they offered each other the comfort they needed. Then just as he opened his eyes, he felt Josh press his lips to his and pull away. 

“Stole your first kiss Cochise.” Josh said smirking, his eyes twinkling. 

Making a noise that showed how irritated he was Chris placed his hand on Joshs chin, “Not my first kiss.” 

“Ha!” Josh burst out, “Kissing Melanie Keating in a game of truth and dare in sixth grade does not count.” Before he leant down again and kissed Chris, while they both kept their eyes open. Chris suddenly didn’t care and accepted it. But he was in love with an asshole, so he had to get used to it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope someone liked this, dunno why I wrote it but yeah. Let me know if there are any mistakes!


End file.
